Matthew Brown, coordinator of the Eastern Shore MPO, oversees a meeting of the policy board on Wednesday, April 22, 2015, in Daphne, Ala. Brown's job status in Baldwin County is changing and the future of the MPO is in question. (John Sharp/jsharp@al.com).

Since its formation in 2012, the Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization has amassed $3.6 million in federal funding to chip away at a growing list of expensive transportation needs in the ever-growing Baldwin County.

So far, very little has been spent although the county is pitching three larger projects for approval this month.

In addition, questions continue on how the MPO will move forward as its future as a county-supported entity could be in doubt. The group's Policy Board will likely discuss the MPO's future when it meets at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Daphne City Hall.

The future of the group is in flux. The MPO's only coordinator, Matthew Brown, will likely be moved from his position into a design engineer's job within the Baldwin County Highway Department. The position change, which will not affect Brown's annual $72,448 salary, will be voted on by commissioners during their July 21 meeting.

Sara Hart, Brown's assistant, remains with the MPO as the only person to oversee the group. Brown will not oversee Wednesday's meeting.

"I expect that we will see some changes with the MPO administration as far as reduction in administration," Baldwin County Commissioner Chris Elliott said. "MPO is up and running. I'm not sure if we require two staff members there. I think we'll look at that."

Baldwin County taxpayers have funded the fledgling organization since the fall of 2012, but there has been interest cited about having the Eastern Shore's transportation needs administered by the South Alabama Regional Planning Commission.

SARPC oversees similar functions for the Mobile MPO.

Last year, the county budgeted $221,000 for it, which $170,000 is reimbursed in federal money. Brown has previously said the MPO's in-kind expenses help make up for the difference. The participating cities - Fairhope, Daphne, Loxley and Spanish Fort - do not pay any extra.

In the meantime, county commissioners want to move forward with three projects paid for through MPO money. All three could be voted on by the MPO's Policy Board as well as the county commissioner by next week.

They include:

$1.82 million to resurface and widen Scenic Highway 98 from Nelson Drive to Baldwin County 1 in Fairhope. The county would fund 20 percent of the project at $364,000.

$575,000 to resurface and widen Baldwin County 13 from Ala. 104 to Baldwin County 48 in Fairhope. The county would fund 20 percent of the project at $115,000.

$18,000 for new signage at Interstate 10 and Ala. 59 in Loxley alerting motorist to the Baldwin Beach Express. The count would fund 20 percent of the project at $3,600.